Docking device



June 119 1946. H F, MocLAaN DOCKING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. l0, 1945 FIG.

FIG. 6.

Fis. 2..

June l1, 1946. H F, MCCLAIN 2,401,878

DOCKING DEVICE Filed sept. 10, 1945 '5 sheets-sheet 2 HUGH F. MCCLMN BY @KW ATTORNEY lNVENTOR Jupe 11, 1946.

Filed Sept. l0, 1945 H. F. MCCLAIN DOGKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-sheet s F o Q i (g 5 Q" f A R99 (l2-'Q- Q Q (2 Q' .Og-QR 'r Q a A. F T /R 9- s P Q T 3Q Q. Q QQ Q Q Q @Q 24 I8 I2 6 3 3 6 l2 I8 24 Q. 3. (d) D |NVENTOR HUGH F. MC CLAIN ATTORNEY Patented June 11, 1946 vUNITED STATESx PATENT oFFicE Hugh F. McClain, Long Beach, Calif.

Application September 10, 1945, Serial No. 615,273

. 8 Claims.

' This invention relates to a, device by means of which a ship may be set down on its keel in a dry-dock.

Oneobject of .the invention is to provide a device vfor aligning a vessel in a dry-dock. Another object is to provide means for indicating the, horizontal and the vertical position of the keel of a ship being placed on supporting blocks vin a dry-dock. Still another object is to provide means for aligning and setting down a ship having a pronounced list. These and other objects are attained by my invention which will be understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings which vform a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top elevational view showing a ship in a dry-dock;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the keelcontacting bar device of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

p Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 yis a cross-sectional View taken on the line 6-,6 of Fig. 3;

y Fig. 'l is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 'I--l of Fig. 6;

" Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system of my device.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of the annunciator R used in my device.

In general, my invention consists of two sets of locator switches placed above the keel blocks fore and aft with an annunciator mechanism conveniently placed above water on the dock structure, the combination being adapted to give visual signals indicating the lateral and vertical position of the keel at two positions lengthwise of the ship, one fore and the other aft.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, a dry dock structure D is indicated with a ship S floating in the water, the bottom of the ship being above the supporting blocks B. In the position shown, the ship is about to rest on the blocks, and the keel K is in contact with the upwardly thrust keel-contacting bar II of my device. The annunciator R. is shown on the dock structure at the side of the ship. In the ordinary method of docking a vessel in a dry dock, the supporting blocks are first positioned on the floor of the dock to correspond with the under-structure of the ship which is to be dry docked. It is, of course, important that the keel of the ship be centered upon the keel blocks, so that the weight ofv the ship will not distort thestructure when the water is removed and the entire weight of the ship is on the supporting blocks. Furthermore, it is desirable to have the ship centered in the dry dock space so that the necessary scaffolding may be erected on either side to facilitate carrying on the repair. work. In-the docking of war vessels such as cruisers and battleships which have narrow hulls near the keel, it is particularly important to have the keel centered on the keel blocks to avoid damage to the ships structure.

The usual method of docking a vessel involves much mathematical calculating following the use of surveying instruments placed on the dock structure, and sometimes requires the use of divers to ascertain if the ship is coming down properly on the supporting blocks. od, it is unnecessary to survey the vessel with instruments, and it is possible to dock the vessel properly on the keel and other supporting blocks without loss of time and without requiring the services of skilled docking engineers.

In my device, the keel actuates electrical switches on two crosswise keel-contacting bars placed at positions fore and aft, these switches controlling lights or other signals on an annunciator board disposed to correspond to the position of the keel to one side or the other of center line of the keel blocks, and also its position vertically above the top of the keel block. By merely watching the visual signals on the annunciator as the vessel is being let down onto the supporting blocks, it is possible to guide the sidewise movement of the ship, while it is still noating, to the center line position, and thus cause the ship to be supported mainly on its keel.

Referring to the keel-contacting bar shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, a crosswise member I2 is attached by pins I3 to upright tubular members I4 slideably mounted in a supporting frame I5 which is attachable to a keel block by bolts in the bolt holes I6. Back teeth II are provided in each of the tubular members, arranged to co` act with the toothed pinions I8 mounted adjacent the upright tubular members I4 on the shaft Il) so that the cross member I2 may be raised and lowered to parallel positions above the keel block. A coil spring 20 having one end attached at ZI to the shaft I9 and the other end to the frame I5 tends to keep the tubular members and the attached cross-member in its extended position upward to press against the keel of the ship as it approaches the rest position on the supports B in the dry dock. As the ships keel touches the By my meth- Y 3 contactor bar, it is pushed downwardly but maintains its position parallel to its original position because of the two racks and pinions.

A series of spring switches suitably spaced along the length of the contacting bar are attached thereto with the contacting levers 23 exposed above the top surface of the top cross member I2.

Referring particularly to Fig, 5,. one vform of spring switch which may be usedis shown, with the details of its attachment, in a water-proof conduit welded along the length of the top cross member, with openings 24 covered by plates 25 attached by bolts 26 fastened into the structuralv member l2. 'Ihe switch lever 23 is attached to the shaft 21 mounted in the bushing 28 'having a bonnet 2t* to provide waterproof packing 3D,

around the shaft. A contacting arm 3l is .at-

tached to the shaft 2l by the pin 32, an electrical contacting member 33 being provided on the end of Ithe arm to make electrical contact wi-th the fixed/contact pointl. Acoil spring v5l! around 'the sha-ft -21 vand abutting 'the end of the casing insures that the -contact is ybroken when no pressure isfapplied to the 'contacting levers 23', and for Agood electrical contact'between the contact points. When the ship-s keel touches 'the contacting lever 23, the sha-ft V2l! is rotated bringing the contacts 33 and 34 together, -closingthe switch Sand the electrical-circuit, thus "causing va visual signal such as an electric 'light to show on the annunciator panel indicating the relative position at which the Contact Awas made. When the ship is properly centered, it jwlll ordinarily actuate the two center switch'es'or `corresponding switches on either side vof the center,

The vertical distance of the keel above the keel block is indi-cated on the annunciator by vertically spaced lights controlled bythe multipoint switch 3'! `also-mounted inthe Water-proofed conduit von the vcross member I2. `Tl'ieshaft 330i-this switch il' is connected to the Yarm 35 and tothe frame l5 by the toggle arm '35. The multipoint switch 37 is Ishown in detail in Fig. 6, the toggle arrn turning the vshaft 33 mounted in the bushing 39, held by the cover plate structure 40 with bonnet 4| and packing for water proofing 42. A contacting arm 4.3 'is vatt-achedto 'the 4shaft by the Akey pin 44 lwhich Ais 'provided with a cone tact member 45 which 'makes contacts with the contact points 46, 4l, 48, 'and 49, *which .are 'so placed relative to the movement of the contacter arm 133 to indicate selected 'vertical distances above the vtop .of the keel block. As 'the top lcross member I2 is vpushed downwardly by the keel K of the ship being docked, the togglearms 35 and 36 actuate the sliaft`38 to move :the contact member .15 into electrical .contact with one of the fixed contact points llt, el, 48, o r 49. By making these electrical contacts, Vvertically placed lights, or other'si'gnals .are actuated On the annunciator R to indicate the elevation .of the keel ,above the keel block.

When a vessel is to b e docked which is listing to one side or 'the other, particularly .if the ship has a relatively 'dat bottom, yit is desirable to in cline the keel-contacting cross bar with its switches at :an angle. corresponding to the list angle so that the switches will be contacted by the keel and not nya lower point on the ships structure due to the listing. The keel-contacting bar may be set at this. list angle by raising the rack pins out of contactwith .the pinion, 4tilting the bar to the desired inclination. and 'then'allowfing the racks to engage the teeth of "the pinion 4 wheels at the diierently extended positions, thus allowing parallel movement of the bar,

As shown in the drawings, two keel contacting switch bars are employed, one fore, and one aft and the annunciator is shown correspondingly to indicate lateral and vertical positions of the keel fore and aft.

The particular switch structures which are here` shown. are for illustrated. purposes only and other .types of spring switches having suitably exposed levers may be employed. Equivalent means for parallel movement of the contacting bar may be used instead of the rack and pinion device shown.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent, since its use permits the expeditious docking of ships in dry docks,

1. A device for use in guiding the keel of a ship'onto the center line of the keel blocks on a dry dock, comprising an electrical switch-controlled na-nmineiator, a keel-contactingbar-disposed eross-'wise Vof said-dock, a bank of spring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known vintervals alongsaid keel-contacting bar, and means to movable support 4said bar A4above the elevation of thetOpsuIaCe ofthe keel block', said annunciator being Vcontrolled bythesa'i'd switches -when the Aships keel contacts the switch levers on said'baras the ship ydescends toward the keel blocks. 'e

2. A device for-use in guiding the keei of a ship onto the center line'of 'the 'keel 'blocks on a dry dock, comprising fan electrical Vswitch--controjll ed annunciator, a keel-.contacting bar disposed cross-wise of said dock, a bank o'fspring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along said 'keel-contacting "bar;,`means to( movably support said bar above 4the elevation of the top surface .of the keelblocjk and heightindicating `switches operated by said bar at 'intervals above said keel block 'top surface, said annunciator being controlled by 'the/said .switches when the ships keel. moves said bar and contacts the switch levers on said bar as .the .ship `descends toward thekeel blocks.

'3. A device for use'in guiding the 'keel of a ship onto the center line of the keel blocks Von a dry dock, comprising an electrical switch-.controlled annunciator consisting Vof spaced visual signal means, a keel-contacting bar `disposed cross-wise of said dock, a bank ofspring, switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along said "keelgcontacting 'b ar, .and means to movably support said bar abovethe elevation of `the top .surface of the .keellolock,y said annunciator signals being 'controlledl'by 'the said switches When 'the Shps. keel contaots'the .switch i levers .onsaid bar as the shipdesoendsetoward the keel blocks.

4. A device for .use in guiding the'keelY o f'a ship onto the center 'line o'f the -keel blocks -ori a dry dock, .comprising an electrical switchcontrolled annunciator, a keelcontacting Ybar .disposed crosswise of said dock and 'having means for "inclining `said bar fr cnn the .horizontal conform to 'the llist Yof the. Shin, .a 'ban-kof spring switches'having exposed switch levers ,spaced at known intervals along ,said keel-contacting bar, and means to .movably support s aid'ba'r above the elevation of the top Surface of the keel block,V Said annunciator'b'emg'controlledgby the saidswitches when 'the vshipskeel contacts the .swthilevers 'on said bar asthe ship descends toward Vthe Vkeel blocks.. L l fi F5. A vdevice `for use in guiding the "keel'of'aship onto the center line of the keel blocks on a dry dock, comprising an electrical switch-controlled annunciator, a keel-contacting bar disposed cross- Wise of said dock, a bank of spring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along said keel-contacting bar, and rack and pinion means for supporting said bar, spring means adapted to hold said bar against the keel of a ship being docked, said annunciator being controlled by the said switches when the ships keel contacts said switch levers on said bar as the ship descends toward the keel blocks.

6. A device for use in guiding the keel of a ship onto the center line of the keel blocks on a dry dock, comprising an electrical switch-controlled annunciator consisting of spaced visual signal means, a keel-contacting bar disposed cross-wise of said dock, a bank of spring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along said keel-contacting bar, a pair of adjustable upright supports for said bar, means to upwardly thrust said bar against the keel of a ship being docked, and a height-indicating multipoint switch operated by levers connected to said bar actuating spaced signal means in said annunciator, said annunciator signals being controlled by the said switches when the ships keel moves said bar and contacts said switch levers on said bar as the ship descends toward the keel blocks.

7. A docking instrument for use inrguiding the keel of a ship onto the center line of the keel blocks on a dry dock, comprising an electrical switch-controlled annunciator consisting of visual signal means spaced to correspond to the positions vertically and horizontally of one portion of said keel, a keel-contacting bar disposed crosswise of said dock, a bank of spring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along said keel-contacting bar, double rack and pinion means operatively interconnected adapted to support said bar in parallel elevational positions, spring means to press said bar upwardly against the keel of a ship being docked, and a height-indicating multipoint switch operated by lever means attached to said keel-contacting bar, said annunciator signals being controlled by the said switches when the ships keel moves said bar and contacts said switch levers on said bar es the ship descends toward the keel blocks, to show on the annunciator both the height above the keel-block, and the lateral position of the keel relative to the center point of said keel blocks.

8. In a device for use in guiding the keel of.

a ship onto the center line of the keel blocks on a dry dock, an electrical switch-controlled annunciator, and a bank of spring switches having exposed switch levers spaced at known intervals along a cross-wise keel-contacting bar supported for parallel movement in an up-and-down direction, said annunciator signals being controlled by the closing of one or more switches when in contact with the ships keel when the ship is descending toward the keel blocks.

HUGH F. MCCLAIN. 

